• Ethics approval and informed consent for human studies
• Clinical trial registration before enrollment
• Disclosure of conflicts of interest and funding sources
• Originality and prohibition of duplicate submissions

Authors must confirm that research complies with local and international ethical standards and that data are reported honestly.

Authorship should reflect substantial contributions to study design, data analysis, or manuscript preparation. All authors must approve the final version.

The journal screens for plagiarism, image manipulation, and unethical practices. Suspected misconduct is investigated in line with best practice guidance.

Peer review is confidential and aims to provide constructive feedback that improves clarity and validity.

Editors select reviewers based on subject expertise and methodological fit.

Editorial decisions are independent of financial considerations and are based on scientific merit, methodological rigor, and relevance to addiction research.

Editors apply policies consistently and document decisions that involve complex ethical or methodological issues.

Authors should provide data availability statements and describe analytical methods in sufficient detail for replication.

• Data repository links or access instructions
• Transparent reporting of analytical methods
• Clear description of limitations and biases

When data are restricted, authors must state the reason and provide appropriate access conditions.

Reproducibility expectations apply to quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies to ensure reliability across the evidence base.

Studies involving animals must follow humane standards and provide approval identifiers. Methods should describe housing, welfare monitoring, and endpoints.

Manuscripts are confidential documents. Editors and reviewers must not share content or use data prior to publication.

Errors may be corrected through notices or retractions when required. Appeals are reviewed by senior editors not involved in the original decision.

Authors should notify the editorial office promptly if they discover errors after publication.

Appeals should provide a clear rationale and address reviewer comments with evidence.

Reviewers are expected to provide objective, constructive feedback and to maintain confidentiality. Conflicts of interest must be disclosed before accepting a review.

Authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose financial or personal relationships that could influence interpretation.

Editors and reviewers should decline assignments when conflicts exist.

Transparent disclosure protects trust and ensures impartial decisions across addiction research topics.

Interventional studies must be registered in a public registry before participant enrollment. Manuscripts should include registry identifiers and primary outcome definitions.

Concerns about fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism are investigated with documented evidence. The journal may request raw data or institutional statements when needed.

Concerns about editorial decisions or policy application should be directed to the editorial office with clear documentation. Feedback is reviewed to improve transparency and consistency.

Policies are reviewed periodically to reflect changes in research standards, ethics guidance, and data sharing expectations in addiction research.

Updated policies are communicated to editors and reviewers to ensure consistent application across submissions.

This helps maintain trust in the editorial process.

If a manuscript has been posted as a preprint, authors should disclose preprint details and ensure the submitted version reflects any updates.

When serious issues are confirmed, the journal may issue corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions to protect the scholarly record.

Editors provide clear decision rationales and summarize key reviewer concerns to guide revisions. Decision timelines are monitored to maintain fairness.

Clear communication supports author confidence and encourages constructive revisions.

Transparent decisions strengthen trust in the journal.